Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans - without the Rice

More times than not, when I read a recipe that sounds too complicated or calls for too many or too hard to find ingredients, I pass and move on to the next one. But Mark sees it as a challenge and says the more effort it takes to make, the better it will taste. The following recipe is a perfect example of his theory.

Mark has been making these Red Beans for grateful family and friends for years, and surprise, it’s another Emeril Lagasse recipe you can find it on the Food Network. To me, this seems like an awful lot of ingredients for a pot of beans. But a pot of beans this is not. It’s a pot heaping with flavors intertwined with textures and smoky aromas delivering a hearty and satisfying dish.

Ingredients

1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted

3 tablespoons bacon grease

1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

3/4 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound smoked ham hocks

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

10 cups chicken stock, or water

4 cups cooked white rice

1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.